Gaza, 18 October 2023 (TDI): The visit of the President of the United States (US), Joe Biden to Israel on an urgent mission is very significant as the escalating Israel-Palestine conflict threatens to escalate into a broader regional crisis.
The primary objectives of his visit are to prevent the conflict from further spiraling out of control and to facilitate the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
Also read: Biden reassures allies on Ukraine support
The visit comes in the wake of a tragic incident where a hospital was targeted in the Gaza Strip resulting in a significant loss of life.
The exact cause of the explosion is a subject of dispute, with Palestine attributing it to an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military blames it on a rocket misfired by a different Palestinian militant group.
The ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, has become the deadliest of the five Gaza wars for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Also read: President Biden hosts historic C5+1 Presidential Summit
The Gaza Health Ministry, reports a staggering toll of 3,478 Palestinians killed and over 12,000 injured in the past 11 days.
On the Israeli side, over 1,400 lives have been lost, and at least 199 individuals, including children, have been captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
One of the most distressing incidents in this crisis is the strike at a Gaza City hospital.
The Gaza Health Ministry has revised the death toll from the incident down to 471, but the circumstances surrounding the explosion remain unclear.
The devastation caused by the blast has made it difficult to determine an exact figure, with hospital staff and officials estimating that the toll could be “in the hundreds.”
At the same time, the General Director of Shifa Hospital, where the wounded and deceased were transferred following the strike, believes the death toll is closer to 250, with hundreds more injured.
Also read: Palestinian Envoy calls for Peace & Justice in territorial dispute with Israel
President Biden’s visit is crucial in this dire situation, as there is an immediate need to resolve the humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians and promote de-escalation to prevent further loss of life and a wider regional conflict.
